Steve Reynolds

Many great shows: winterjazzfest.com I'm going on the 10th for: 8:00: Ches Smith Trio with Mat Maneri and Craig Taborn 10:00 Mary Halvorsen Septet 11:15 Peter Brotzmann with Hamid Drake and Jason Adasiewicz

RIP, Sir A vital participant to the last Joe Maneri band recording, the great opus "Going to Church"

I'm in the same boat regarding David Murray I haven't bought a CD of his in 10 years I still enjoy an occasional listen. I've lost and gained interest in many different musicians and I am thankful that I simply try to have and hear the best recordings that artists release. I don't need to hear marginal Art Blakey recordings from the late 60's through the end when there is so much vibrant music being released today by a myriad of wonderful musicians known and unknown

The 37 minute first track from disc 2 (set 2) of Blue Winter with Fred Anderson, William Parker and Hamid Drake Maybe the furthest thing from what one might expect. Opens with a 5 minute gorgeous unaccompanied tenor solo which morphs into a bass drum dialogue that is simply magical. The tempos really vary throughout with some of the fastest tempos I've heard this trio play. Yet by the end they almost settle into a classic Parker-Drake groove with the great tenorman playing his improvised altered blues in a way that is timeless genius. The piece also includes a bowed section where Anderson plays a gorgeous stunning repetitive invented line and a bass-drum section that is super funkified via the great drummer pulling out shit that even I had never heard him play - music that should have made this section sampled by modern pop makers! Of course since few people here have never heard this recording for whatever unknown reason, no chance for common sense elsewhere!! Over the years this track and the whole of disc 1 (set one ~ 45 minutes) have become one of the best examples of seemingly somewhat traditional free jazz (not notated as is the case with all of Fred's music over the last 25 years of his brilliant musical life) of recent times. Plus as mentioned elsewhere the recording quality is beyond sublime.

Ubu: don't ignore the new KV Resonance 2 CD set Very strong Another good one: Gerald Cleaver's Black Host: Life in the Sugar Candle Mines

Third and final track from Dragonfly Breath called Mosquito Good way to start my morning drive to my destination Along with my coffee, this quarter is a strong wake up call

Impossible to explain how varied, nuanced and brilliant Open Loose is. I've tried before but I won't try this time. I will say that they were more relaxed and that the interplay is telepathic and that Tony Malaby for me remains among the 2 or 3 most exciting tenor saxophonists I've ever seen live. Every time I see him he astounds me with his range and his completely unique approach and sound. The guys defines the "sound of surprise" for me. He played a passage during one of last compositions ("Chavez") on the beyond altissimo register(s) that was something even beyond what thought was possible for him. In addition he NEVER plays for the crowd or effect. He makes/demands that the audience hear the music as the band's music and not him as a soloist. His brilliance in some ways is so insidious that if one isn't really listening one might miss the depth of his improvisational imagination and thorough mastery of the saxophone. Ok I tried to explain part of what makes this trio so special

Tonight @ Cornelia Street Cafe: Open Loose with Mark Helias, Tony Malaby and Tom Rainey

Number one: Ches Smith trio with Mat Maneri and Craig Taborn Then: Michael Moore's American Available Jelly Mat Maneri Trio with Ed Schuller and Randy Peterson Evan Parker duet with Sylvie Courvoisier Evan Parker quartet with John Escreet, John Hebert and Tyshawn Sorey William Parker Quartet with Rob Brown, Lewis Barnes and Hamid Drake Kris Davis Capricorn Climber All in NYC Many other fine shows but these were all spectacular

Let me post here that track 2 from Decoy with Joe McPhee is among the most powerful improv pieces I've heard over the past couple of years.

Me needs to see Foxes Fox with Evan Parker, Steve Beresford and John Edwards To my ears one of the great improvising ensembles in this music

Nice seeing you as well, Tony

RIP, Sir

Last time a few years ago in Philly with frode's big band. Besides that maybe 2006 or so at Vision Fest.

My dream is that Louis Moholo-Moholo writes or relays the stories of the history of this music as he has experienced it. My other dream is that I get to see him play one time

Pretty damn great. Hard to expain this band. Susie was the highlight in many ways. Lotte Anker nice new find for me. Kinda like John Butcher crossed with Steve Lacy on soprano and who the hell knows from what where or who on alto. Lotsa tension and controlled force and restraint.

Mephista for the first set then adding Lotte Anker on saxophone for the second set Mephista is Sylvie Courvoisier, Susie Ibarra and Ikue More Tonight at The Stone, NYC

Agree Me just wants new issues of great bands with great musicians. Recorded by people who record the music as it is played. Like Not Two records Top of the list would be Mat Maneri's Quintet with Oscar Noriega, Craig Taborn or Kris Davis, Ed Schuller and the great Randy Peterson. Remains the most exciting and invigorating live ensemble I've seen over the past 3 years.

The original Eno "pop" albums remain among the best recordings I've ever heard with my favorite being Taking Tiger Mountain (by strategy)

Specifically the 2009 date with William Parker's quartet augmented by Bradford, Spauding and Bang is the record of the year. James Spauding is beyond incredible, Billy Bang plays with heart and fire that maybe only someone facing death can and Hamid Drake is simply Hamid Drake. Within the opening O'Neal's Porch the band plays the whole history of this music within 13 minutes

I also miss the full band but I am hoping we get a release of the full band when they played during that time and hopefully Not Two will release the music as the music released on Mad Dogs is recorded with the highest sound quality of any jazz/improvisation recording I've ever heard.

Don't know what isn't great on Mad Dogs Both that and Wood Flute Songs start my 2013 best of

Whole bunch ordered for the Holiday including: King Crimson: Road to Red - big splurge here - but this has always been the band for me in many ways. I was into the band long before I discovered jazz. And I think this incarnation of Crimson is unmatched. I even like the fact they are almost a heavy metal band by the time they got to the States in 1974 Ken Vandermark's Resonance Ensemble: the box from 2009 and the new 2 CD set 3 other Not Two releases including Dragonfly with Weasel Walter and Paul Flaherty in the quartet Plus Spirits Rejoice from Louis Moholo which has been a long time coming Gerald Cleaver's Black Host - I've seen the band live and they are great - and I'm hoping the CD is somewhat representative

Some new tasty looking CDs on Not Two records Details when I place my order including: A new recording from the late Denis Charles with the great late Wilbur Morris with Thomas Borgmann on reeds Band was smoking based on the 2 discs I have. Charles' playing at the end of his life was majestic Same concert as the one on Silkheart, I believe - If it is, it's a good one

And unless he was mentioned earlier, the late, great Mike Osbourne